20200915 SPIRITUAL MARTYRDOM OF OUR LADY
15 September, 2020, Tuesday, Our Lady of Sorrows
First reading | Hebrews 5:7-9 © |
He learned to obey and he became the source of eternal salvation
During his life on earth, Christ offered up prayer and entreaty, aloud and in silent tears, to the one who had the power to save him out of death, and he submitted so humbly that his prayer was heard. Although he was Son, he learnt to obey through suffering; but having been made perfect, he became for all who obey him the source of eternal salvation.
Responsorial Psalm |
Psalm 30(31):2-6,15-16,20 © |
Save me, O Lord, in your love.
In you, O Lord, I take refuge.
Let me never be put to shame.
In your justice, set me free,
hear me and speedily rescue me.
Save me, O Lord, in your love.
Be a rock of refuge for me,
a mighty stronghold to save me,
for you are my rock, my stronghold.
For your name’s sake, lead me and guide me.
Save me, O Lord, in your love.
Release me from the snares they have hidden
for you are my refuge, Lord.
Into your hands I commend my spirit.
It is you who will redeem me, Lord.
Save me, O Lord, in your love.
But as for me, I trust in you, Lord;
I say: ‘You are my God.
My life is in your hands, deliver me
from the hands of those who hate me.’
Save me, O Lord, in your love.
How great is the goodness, Lord,
that you keep for those who fear you,
that you show to those who trust you
in the sight of men.
Save me, O Lord, in your love.
Gospel Acclamation |
Alleluia, alleluia!
Happy is the Virgin Mary,
who, without dying,
won the palm of martyrdom
beneath the cross of the Lord.
Alleluia!
Gospel | John 19:25-27 © |
'Woman, this is your son'
Near the cross of Jesus stood his mother and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary of Magdala. Seeing his mother and the disciple he loved standing near her, Jesus said to his mother, ‘Woman, this is your son.’ Then to the disciple he said, ‘This is your mother.’ And from that moment the disciple made a place for her in his home.
SPIRITUAL MARTYRDOM OF OUR LADY
SCRIPTURE READINGS: [Heb 5:7-9; Ps 31: 2-6, 15-16, 20; Jn 19:25-27 OR Lk 2:33-35]
Yesterday, we celebrated the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross. In this feast, we recall the passion and death of our Lord on the cross. Jesus surrendered His life to His Father by accepting death in obedience to the Father’s will, and “having been made perfect, he became for all who obey him the source of eternal salvation.” Through the physical and spiritual suffering of our Lord, He brought salvation to humanity. We are saved by His death on the Cross and by His resurrection.
Today’s memorial of our Lady of Sorrows following the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, focuses on how we as Christians should carry our cross and follow after our Lord. Mary had a fair share of sorrows in her life, more so as the Mother of our Lord. Life for Mary was never easy from the moment she consented to be the Mother of God. It was a journey that could only be lived in faith and hope. Being the Mother of God made her a sharer of her Son’s life and suffering. In truth, mothers, and perhaps to a lesser extent fathers, will understand the sorrows of Mary more than anyone else on earth.
A spiritual and emotional bond ties the mother and the son, which is almost unbreakable. This was why when Israel accused the Lord saying, “‘The Lord has forsaken me, my Lord has forgotten me.’ Can a woman forget her nursing child, or show no compassion for the child of her womb? Even these may forget, yet I will not forget you. See, I have inscribed you on the palms of my hands; your walls are continually before me.” Indeed, a mother who carries the baby in her womb for nine months has this strong and intense attachment to her child. It is unthinkable and unbearable for a woman to abandon her child. St Teresa of Calcutta once remarked that if a mother can kill the baby in her womb, there is no one else she could not kill. Indeed, no matter how rebellious the child might be, or even if the child has physical and mental disabilities, the mother would love the child no less.
Within this context, we can appreciate the suffering of Mary as the Mother of our Lord. As the mother of Jesus, her identification with the suffering of her Son, even if it was merely an emotional and spiritual suffering, was very intense, heartbreaking and distressing. No one can understand how Mary suffered with her Son as much as our mothers. However, even our mothers would never be able to identify with Mary perfectly because Mary loved her only Son more completely, and her Son was also the Son of God. Most mothers are not able to overcome their grief when one of their children dies before them. What more if that child were her only son, and this son had reached the height of his career, was very successful in life, with a bright future ahead of him, but died suddenly and tragically at a young age leaving the mother behind!
Traditionally, the memorial of our Lady of Sorrows invites us to reflect on the seven sorrows of Mary so that we can identify with her pain and how she carried her cross as she shared in Christ’s suffering and passion. What are these seven sorrows? Firstly, there was the prophecy of Simeon. (cf Lk 2:25-35) At the Temple, “Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, ‘You see this child: he is destined for the fall and for the rising of many in Israel, destined to be a sign that is rejected – and a sword will pierce your own soul too – so that the secret thoughts of many may be laid bare.'” Mothers are always anxious about the well-being of their children. They are always worried about their future. So we can imagine how this prophecy would have haunted Mary as she brought Jesus up at Nazareth for 30 years, wondering not just when this prophecy would be realized but how it would take place. If we were Mary, we would shudder at the thought of our child being rejected by society and that we ourselves will suffer as much.
Secondly, under the persecution of Herod, the angel told Joseph in a dream to bring Jesus and Mary to Egypt. (cf Mt 2:13-15) It must have been terrifying for Mary, not just the fear for her own life but especially that of the baby Jesus. Going to a strange land with a different culture certainly was precarious for the safety of Mary and the child. Joseph would have been concerned whether he could make a living to sustain the needs of Mary and Jesus. They were the first refugees. Those of us who were refugees would be able to identify our pain and fears with that of the Holy Family.
Thirdly, after returning to Nazareth when the persecution was over, the parents of Jesus brought Him to Jerusalem. However, they lost Jesus and after searching for Him for three days, they found Him in the Temple. (cf Lk 2:41-50) Any mother would know how frantic she would be if she were to lose her child at a shopping mall or worse still, at a park. She would be panicking and hysterical. Losing the child Jesus is what we experience when we lose Him because of our sins. However, many of us, because of our lack of attachment and love for our Lord, do not feel the tension of separation, unlike a mother and her son. Only those who really love our Lord and because of weakness fell into sin, would rejoice when they are reunited with our Lord again after the Sacrament of Reconciliation.
Fourthly, we can surmise the pain of Mary, following Jesus in His passion from the time she met Him on His way to Calvary. (cf Lk 23:27-31; Jn 19:17) What a sorrowful sight and meeting between Jesus and Mary! Our Lord was badly bruised from the scourging and was carrying the heavy cross to Calvary. If we see our own son suffer, many of us will immediately seek to alleviate his pain. Most parents cannot bear to see their children suffer and that is why they tend to pamper, over protect and care for them. Parents are always defensive of their children, even when they do wrong and deserve punishment. But for Mary and Jesus, it was a silent meeting. Jesus and Mary, looking into each other’s eyes conveyed much love, sorrow and pain, both feeling with each other and for each other.
Fifthly at His crucifixion and death (cf Jn 19:25-30), we see the strength of Mary watching her only Son nailed to the cross. The cries, the screams and shouts of pain and agony when the nails went through the hands and feet of our Lord would have crushed her. Our Lady stood by to watch helplessly as her Son was unjustly put to death. Indeed, there are times too when we cannot do much except to see our loved ones suffer. What we can do is to stand by the person and give him or her the emotional and spiritual support. Perhaps, in such a situation, this is all that is needed from us.
Finally, the body of Jesus was taken down from the Cross (cf Ps 130; Lk 23:50-54; Jn 19:31-37) and buried. (cf Isa 53:8; Lk 23:50-56; Jn 19:38-42; Mk 15:40-47) It was all over. Mary held the lifeless and badly scarred and bloodied body of her Son. Indeed, the sword had pierced her heart seven times and this was the last straw. Which mother can bear to hold her in her bosom in this manner? He was unjustly condemned and killed. Which mother would not feel resentful against the world? Which mother could forgive her son’s enemies? Which mother would not also be angry with God for the injustices done?
Mary is called the co-redemptrix. The prefix “co” means “cum” in Latin, which is translated as “with” in English. It does not mean “equal to” Jesus in redeeming the world. It means that Mary shared Christ’s passion and death. This is the true spiritual martyrdom of Mary, sharing in Christ’s suffering for the salvation of the world. We too are to follow the footsteps of Mary, offering our sufferings, especially unjust sufferings for our salvation and the salvation of the world. Our Lady of Sorrows has shown us the way to carry the cross after Jesus.
Written by The Most Rev William Goh, Roman Catholic Archbishop of Singapore © All Rights Reserved.
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